Loan plan for needy students
Needy tertiary students can apply for financial assistance under the Local Student Finance Scheme 2000-01, the Student Financial Assistance Agency said.
The scheme offers means- tested grants and loans to tertiary students. Those who are eligible must obtain application forms from their institutions.
A spokesman for the agency reminded students to be careful in providing true and complete information in their applications.
'As a measure to ensure that this is done, an applicant's parents, instead of either the father or the mother, are required to sign a declaration in the application form, confirming that the information provided on the income and assets of their family is true and complete,' the spokesman said.
'If there is omission or understatement, the applications will be rejected and financial assistance received recovered. For the more serious cases, the agency will consider referring them to the police for possible legal action,' he warned.
In addition to declaration by parents, the spokesman said that the agency would step up authentication by way of home visits. Applicants should therefore exercise care in ensuring that the information in the applications is true and complete.
